Ding Ning has announced that she will not be taking part in the Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Hungarian Open next week in Budapest.

The Chinese star made public her decision to pull out of the first event of 2019 by posting this message on Weibo:

I am sorry to tell you that for the purpose of protecting my physical condition, I will not appear at the ITTF Hungarian Open next week.

At the end of last year, I participated in a series of international and domestic events, seeing me expend a lot of physical strength and energy.

For me, at 29 years of age, it is key that I protect my body properly and I must arrange my training regime more reasonably. I hope that I can avoid accidental injuries caused by fatigue and I hope that I can adjust better to reach competitive shape.

I apologise for the inconvenience caused to the ITTF and the event organisers. At the same time, I hope that the ITTF and the organisers will understand the decision I have made. I hope that everyone can understand my decision. I will get myself prepared for the next match, so see you then.